(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a card array apparatus, and more particularly to a card array apparatus in which a plurality of cards having the same function, such as a hard disk, can be set and a personal computer in which the card array apparatus is mounted.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A high performance disk server carries out services using a disk array apparatus. The disk array apparatus includes a plurality of hard disk units which are operated as a single hard disk system. There are five types of control methods (RAID 1 through 5) for controlling the disk array apparatus. Due to each type of control method, the disk array apparatus has high performance and high reliability. As a result, for example, even if the disk array apparatus is being operated, a hard disk unit which has malfunctioned can be changed to a new one.
A disk server having a disk array apparatus may be formed as shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, a disk array apparatus 10, formed of a plurality of hard disk units (HDD1 through HDD5), and a disk array controller 20 are mounted in a body of a disk server 30. The disk array apparatus 10 and the disk array controller 20 are connected to each other by a standard bus interface. The disk server having the disk array apparatus may be also formed as shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, the disk array apparatus 10 and the disk array controller 20 are not mounted in the body of the disk server 30, but mounted in a disk array sub-system 32. The disk array controller 20 is connected to a disk controller 22 provided in the body of the disk server 30 by a general purpose interface such as a SCSI.
Each of the hard disk units (HD) of the disk array apparatus 10 is formed based on a 3.5-inch hard disk or a 5-inch hard disk, so that the disk array apparatus 10 including a plurality of hard disk units is relatively large. Thus, the conventional disk array apparatus can not be applied to a personal computer (e.g, a desktop computer).
Further, the conventional disk array apparatus is formed on the assumption that the respective hard disk units are fixed therein. Thus, to be capable of setting and removing a hard disk unit in and from the disk array apparatus which is in an active state (an active setting/removing operation of the hard disk unit), a unit exclusively for the active setting/removing operation of the hard disk unit is needed. However, units for the exclusive active setting/removing operation of the hard disk unit are designed by individual manufactures of the disk array apparatus. Thus, a unit exclusively for the active setting/removing operation of the hard disk unit does not have compatibility with other hard disk units.